Orioles get win and pitching staff gets break

Bill Ordine

The Orioles got everything they needed out of the third game against the Cubs at Wrigley Field.

For starters, they got a victory, 11-4, which gave them the edge in the three-game series against the team with the best home record in baseball. Secondly, manager Dave Trembley got to both rest and work his pitching staff in just the right amounts after having to go to the bullpen early the previous game.

With an 11-0 lead, Trembley was able to let young Radhames Liz work his way out of trouble as he pitched into the sixth inning. Both Brian Burres, who missed his start on Wednesday because he was ill, and Chad Bradford, who had thrown just a handful of pitches since June 20, both got some work in middle relief. And Jim Johnson needed just eight pitches in the ninth as the honorary closer. It all sets up the Orioles to begin a weekend series in Washington where they should have have the advantage in the match-up against the struggling Nationals. But, of course, the Cubs probably thought the same thing.

Meanwhile, Aubrey Huff continues to redeem himself from a first season where he was a disappointment at the plate and an off-season of intemperate remarks about the city. Huff was 4-for-5 yesterday and in June, he's hitting .357 with 10 doubles, five home runs, 14 RBIs and 15 runs scored, which is more in line with the expectations the team had when it signed him to a three-year, $20 million deal.